Meaning & use
period of uncertainty
Last updated
Meaning
phrasecountable
A stretch of time when the future is not clear and people feel unsure about what will happen.
Grammar: Countable: use 'a period of uncertainty' or 'periods of uncertainty'.
Patterns
- a period of uncertainty
- a period of uncertainty about something
- during a period of uncertainty
The company faced a long period of uncertainty after the CEO resigned.
Investors are worried about a period of uncertainty in the global markets.
She went through a period of uncertainty before choosing her career path.
Word forms
| plural | periods of uncertainty |
|---|
Common combinations
- a prolonged period of uncertainty
- The election result led to a prolonged period of uncertainty.
- a period of economic uncertainty
- Small businesses struggle during a period of economic uncertainty.
- face a period of uncertainty
- Graduates face a period of uncertainty as they enter the job market.
- end a period of uncertainty
- The new agreement ended a period of uncertainty for the workers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- period of doubt
- Focuses more on personal feelings of doubt; 'period of uncertainty' is broader and often about external situations.
- time of instability
- Emphasizes lack of stability; 'period of uncertainty' emphasizes lack of clear knowledge about the future.
Opposites
Practice
After the sudden change in leadership, the company entered a ______ of uncertainty.
Choose one answer.
'Period of uncertainty' is a standard collocation. 'Phase' is possible but less common; 'moment' suggests a very short time, which does not fit the sense of a prolonged uncertain time.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “period of uncertainty”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.